Officials and Residents Say Trump’s Crime Remarks Don’t Reflect Reality
City officials and residents pushed back this week after former President Donald Trump asserted that people in Beverly Hills routinely leave their cars unlocked or garage doors open so thieves can steal items without damaging property. The statement left many residents puzzled.
Trump made the remarks Monday from the Oval Office while discussing crime in major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. He cited Beverly Hills as an example while defending his decision to deploy National Guard troops to some cities, arguing that local leaders had failed to maintain order.
Ironically, Beverly Hills is one of the few Los Angeles area cities that regularly has pro-Trump rallies. Beverly Hills-based cosmetologist Gina Bisignano took part in the January 6 attack on the Capitol Building and took a plea that she took only to avoid jail time.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta dismissed Trump’s comments, saying the former president “doesn’t make fact-based, evidence-based decisions. He has an agenda.” In a statement, Beverly Hills officials said they were not aware of residents adopting such practices and described Trump’s characterization as inaccurate.
Crime data shows auto thefts in Beverly Hills have climbed in the past three years, while overall crime rose in 2022 and 2023 before dropping in 2024. Still, longtime residents say Trump’s claim does not reflect daily life.
“I was just genuinely confused. I don’t think that’s true. I’ve never heard of anybody I know doing that,” said resident Pria Zandi. “It’s not an issue that anyone worries about.”, as quoted by KTLA 5 News.
